Friday, January 4, 2013

Ready to judge: Latin music star Shakira poses in the iconic red leather swivel chair in her first promo photo for The Voice

The Voice will usher in the new year with two fresh judges - Shakira and Usher.
NBC released the first pictures on Thursday of the duo sitting in the iconic red leather chairs as they join the popular singing competition show for it's upcoming fourth season.
The pair are replacing former judges Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera, who will reportedly return for season five later this year.

Revealed: Grammy-award winning singer Usher is ready to join the cast of judges

Taking a break from the show is mother-of-one Christina, who is set to go on tour for her new album, Lotus, which dropped last November.
And the Gnarls Barkley star, 38, is developing a scripted comedy series for NBC based on his life.
'Since this year NBC and The Voice have decided to tape back-to-back seasons, requiring a full-year commitment, it is important for me to take Season 4 off, allowing me to support my music that my fans have been waiting for,' Cee Lo said of his show hiatus.

Not going anywhere: Current judges Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will keep their post on the popular singing competition

Current judges Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will remain in their swivel seats, according to NBC Entertainment reps.
The duo were first revealed on the season three finale last month in a trailer that featured the group battling over what song to sing as they crammed into a truck driven by country crooner Blake.
The line up change will expand the musical range on the program from pop and country to Latin music and R&B.

Crooners together: Shakira and Usher were introduced to The Voice on last season's finale alongside current judges Adam and Blake

'We are thrilled to welcome Usher and Shakira to The Voice. The addition of these popular iconic artists continues the tradition established by Christina, Cee Lo, Adam and Blake,' NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt also said in a statement.
Usher, 34, best known for his 2004 album Confessions, is one of the world's best-selling artists with global sales of 65 million record and seven Grammy awards.
Shakira, 35, has been popular in the Latin music world for over two decades and burst onto the international pop scene with her 2006 single Hips Don't Lie.

The end of an era: Mentors Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton sit on their final panel

The Voice has been a bright spot in struggling NBC's schedule since its 2011 debut, and moved to a twice a year cycle for it's third season.
Last season notably drew more U.S. viewers than the revamped version of Fox's X Factor with Britney Spears as a new judge, finishing up 11 percent higher than the previous year's finale at 14 million viewers.
The new season of The Voice is set to premiere on March 25 on NBC.